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Autonomous robot-aided optical tweezer system for biological cell manipulation

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Abstract

Over the past few decades, optical tweezers have become a powerful tool that is widely used in cell-based biomedical applications. Their popularity is attributed to their unique advantages in the manipulation of biological cells with high accuracy, degree of freedom, and flexibility in a noninvasive manner. With the trends toward the automation of biological processes with high throughput, precision, and reliability, many autonomous frameworks have been developed for the realization of diverse cell manipulations. This study reviews the latest advancements in automated cell transportation and reorientation control. Moreover, by integrating optical tweezers with other tools, the mechanisms of cell-based physiological activity and subcellular operation are investigated and reviewed. Discussions on the current challenges and potential research trends on optical manipulation of biological cells are finally presented.

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Funding

State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (G20190010180). Basic Research Program of Jiangsu Province (BK20180427). Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (NS2019021). National Aerospace Science Foundation of China (2018ZD52050).

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  1. College of Automation Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, 210016, China

    Mingyang Xie

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Xie, M. Autonomous robot-aided optical tweezer system for biological cell manipulation. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 105, 4953–4966 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-019-04683-1

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